Posted on 10/08/2016 3:40:56 PM PDT by Just a little eagle
October 1st, 2016
WHAT DONALD TRUMP COULD LEARN FROM BASEBALL
Baseball can teach you an awful lot about life. The old adage is that the game isn't over till the last man is out and the fat lady sings. This reflected perfectly to me the Catholic belief; you haven't lost the game until you draw your last breath and refuse to accept the Salvation won for you by Christ.
My teen years were filled with the excitement of watching the Detroit Tigers. Tension grew whenever the hated Cleveland Indians came to town. Jimmy Piersall started it. He hated Detroit and Detroit returned the favor. The Yankees never seemed to make it personal and besides there was something you could admire about them.
When things weren't going well and it looked like the home team was going to lose it all; when fans got that queasy feeling in the pit of their stomach, and smiles began fading, you could see some of the fans leaving the stadium early to beat the traffic home. The real fans would stick it out. Occasionally we were rewarded with one of the most exciting things that can happen in baseball, a beautifully executed double-play!
As I watched the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, I could not help but wish that Donald Trump knew less about golf and more about baseball.
Here's the scenario: it's the top of the ninth and the Indians have tied it up, there's a man on first and the batter hits a line drive. It's headed for the outfield. The shortstop jumps up, snags the ball deflecting its trajectory, cutting it off at the knees. One Indian down.( Think of this as the Media) Then he pivots sending the ball to second base getting the runner out. (Think of this as Hillary ) When the pivot is done well it can be as beautiful as the pirouette of any ballerina.
Lucky, lucky me! Here I am in bed with a fever of a hundred and two; pondering if the number of elderly who die from the flu is exponentially increased if they have a jaw abscess at the same time.
I took the hydrocodone the dentist guaranteed would help me get some sleep. The radio is on. The host is discussing Donald Trump's performance at the 1st. Presidential Debate. “Oh no, not that! Not now!” I can't reach the radio to turn it off. So I bury my head deeper into the pillows. Thoughts of the debate flood my mind. The pulsing pain in my jaw becomes a relentless throb. I take another hydrocodone from the nightstand. Surely the doctor said, “Take 2 to sleep” or was it “Take to sleep?”
I thrash from one side of the bed to the other. I can see and hear Trump clearly now. He goes on and on insisting he was never for the war in Iraq; instead of throwing the ball back at Hillary and telling everyone how she actually voted for the war!
Then over and over about how he could not release his tax records; instead of pivoting and bringing up the Clinton Foundation slush fund, the selling out of our nation to the highest bidder. After all Hillary is the biggest criminal in the history of the world.
Then I heard Trump's voice. He was speaking on the radio explaining he didn't mention Hillary's abuse of women because he didn't want to “hurt Chelsea's feelings.” That's when “It” happened!
You might say we had our 1st. argument and I started “It”.
“ You know why my friend Farah said she would never vote for you now?”
Trump stammered, “Because Lester didn't….”
I never even let him finish. I jumped in, “Because she never learned anything bad about Hillary from you! That's your job! Not Lester’s!”
Then I threw my shoulders back and put my chin high and with the self-righteousness of a woman scorned said,” How dare you worry about Chelsea's feelings? She's a multi- millionaire heiress. She'll buy a yacht or a diamond tiara and get over it! You need to worry about people like my husband and myself and all the other little people who need you besides you promised.” My voice started out shrill but the last word was almost inaudible. I turned quickly away. I didn't want him to see I was about to cry. He sat down in a chair and seemed to sulk like a man does when he's heard something he really didn't want to hear.
He was surprised when I tossed a baseball glove into his lap. “What's this?” he said. “ C'mon. We're going to play some baseball. After all you weren't born knowing how to play golf. Someone along the way gave you some pointers.” He looked away and then a soft smile appeared on his face as if he were remembering something in the past that was very dear to him. He jumped up, “Alright, let's go!”
As we walked out the front door headed for the empty lot at the end of the street, I knew that everything between us was going to be alright. I could tell by the way he listened as I talked about baseball and the greatest World Series I ever saw; when the Marlins beat the Cleveland Indians in 1997.
When we got to the empty lot, neighbors and friends began to gather. Soon there was a crowd, after all no one can draw a crowd like “The Donald.”
Everyone wanted to help. Rudy Giuliani was the umpire. Mike Pence stood in as pitcher. Why even Ted Cruz offered to hit the line drives. Chris Christie put on a red pants suit and a blonde wig so he could look like Hillary trying to get from first to second base. Diamond and Silk went up and down leading everyone in a cheer,” Donald, Donald, he's our man. He can do it, we know he can!”
We practiced a few times. It wasn't long before he snatched a line drive, stopping it before it could do any damage. Then pivoting, to everyone's delight, he threw the ball right at second base. Christie, caught off guard, lost his balance and literally fell on top of second base. But not before Sheriff Clarke got ahold of the ball and yelled,”Hillary, you're outta here!”
The crowd burst into cheers. Everyone ran up to congratulate him.Me? I was beaming from ear-to-ear because I knew that Donald had learned one of the biggest secrets from the great American Game of Baseball. NOBODY BUT NOBODY HAS LOST AND NOBODY BUT NOBODY HAS WON, UNTIL IT’S OVER! And it's not over till the last man is out and the fat lady.... fat lady....zzzzzZZZZZ.
This is why those who are against Trump are frying nothng burgers.
Trump was an outstanding pitcher in high school. Major leagues wanted to sign him. Dad insisted he go to college.
Can’t wait till he throws the first pitch out !
Which debate do you want to look bad in?
1 or 2 or 3?
One!
When Trump comes back looking better, who looks worse?
Going into debate three Hillary is going to be cracking up, knowing she’s going down.
Sometimes not even then, given the replay rule.
As the late Hall of Famer Yogi Berra said, “It’s never over till it’s over.”
With the late, great Ernie Harwell.
All right!
But between me and you, the Yankees didn’t scare you because the Tigers had a secret ingredient and it was a beauty.
From my grandfather’s partial-season grandstand seats in Fenway Park, I would anticipate every half-inning score, knowing, whether Briggs or Yankee stadium, it didn’t matter, that Frank Lary would beat the Yankees!
Trump could have nailed her a dozen times...he didn’t but it was not because of Chelsea, it was because he FORGOT; he froze. It’s really not that hard...she says ABC...you say DEF; she says DEF...you say ABC. You learn how to do this by running through all the scenarios with a stand in so that you don’t have to think about it...it just comes out.
But he doesn’t need to practice!!
Yes, those were the days, my friend, those were the days! Kaline,Colavito,Cash,Jim Bunning and the voice of Erie Harwell.
Actually, I agree with you Max I think to some degree he did freeze but I think that’s because he was programmed before to be “nice” and not hurt Chelsea’s feelings. She and Ivanka are friends. Look where it got him. Look what they did to him yesterday, huh? Nice guys finish last and I hope he learned his lesson.
But don’t you also think that if you practice that can help prevent the freeze?
Didn’t realize he was that good! Thanks for the heads up.
Thank you for reminding me about good old Frank Lary. Hadn’t thought about him in years. You’re right they called him the “Yankee killer”!
Thank you for reminding me about good old Frank Lary. Hadn’t thought about him in years. You’re right they called him the “Yankee killer”!
Thank you for reminding me about good old Frank Lary. Hadn’t thought about him in years. You’re right they called him the “Yankee killer”!
He was also quarterback of football team and played a couple other sports. Very athletic, a natural leader and if a prank was done on campus he was the first one they called in. Many words from fellow cadets and teachers. Hard working , caring , courteous etc. All interviews I have read from then to now have included the word FUN
One of the best interviews was from a roommate who was much smaller, Jewish , homesick. He was being bullied and he tells how Donald protected him and became his best friend and mentor They still spend time together.
“He was being bullied and he tells how Donald protected him and became his best friend and mentor They still spend time together.”
That reminds me of Trump quietly standing by Dr. Carson when he missed his cue to go onstage for a primary debate. Bush, Cruz and others walked on by.
Same type of action
Another of my favorite interviews was ALICE COOPER. He was performing last summer on Fox and Friends.
He’s a regular in the gulf group. He was explaining to Doocy how both he and Trump had two side
For him it was the rock star vs the married 40 years, sober 30, born again Christian , youth counselor. For Trump it was entertainer/businessman vs TRUMP
He and Dr Carson who has known Trump for decade and was interviewed shortly after used the same words : kind, thoughtful , generous, considerate and of course FUN
Dr BEN and he have worked together on ST JUDE childrens charities for decades. Eric’s foundation now supports them.
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